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  • AssMan

    Meh...
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 27, 2011
    16,211
    Somewhere on the James River, VA
    With the current down time, I'm looking for some basic to intermediate carbine and/or handgun drills that I can do on my own with minimal equipment. I have two IPSC target stands and one IPSC silhouette type steel target available - nothing fancy. Looking to improve handling, speed and marksmanship. Please share your favorite drills!
     

    Blaster229

    God loves you, I don't.
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 14, 2010
    46,409
    Glen Burnie
    I don't do "drills". I like to do practical, real life things.

    1. Take a table and place your pistol on it in front of you. Now simply try picking it up and taking a shot, point shooting at any time you think you have a good enough grip. Not a perfect grip, but one you think you can get a shot off.
    I do this to simulate a home invasion and I'm doing whatever being caught off guard.
    It's ok if you're holding it gangsta style. Because that might be how you get the shot off.
    You'd be surprised how hard it is picking that pistol up in a rush off the slippery coffee table you're sitting behind.
    Take a chair and do it sitting as well.

    2. Shoot with your support hand only.

    3. Hold an item in your hand, practice dropping it and then draw and shoot. Like you're standing in a check out line.

    4. While sitting behind that table, using your EDC holster, practice a slow stealthy draw and shoot while sitting. You'd be surprised how difficult it is to navigate the pistol from your hip, out from under the table and present a shot. This could represent eating out at dinner. And not all scenarios will require a bat out of hell draw speed.

    5. You ever lay on your back and shoot over your face to the target? Lay on a blanket or tarp and give that perspective a try.

    6. With your normal grip, use your middle finger for your trigger finger. See how that feels.


    I can post more when I'm not in my phone texting from bed at 330 am.
    Sounds like you have the ability to do stuff other than just stand and shoot static. Get out of the regular crappy routine stuff.
    Unless you're practicing for competition, then I can't help you in that dept.
     

    Sealion

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    May 19, 2016
    2,710
    Balto Co
    I don't do "drills". I like to do practical, real life things.

    1. Take a table and place your pistol on it in front of you. Now simply try picking it up and taking a shot, point shooting at any time you think you have a good enough grip. Not a perfect grip, but one you think you can get a shot off.
    I do this to simulate a home invasion and I'm doing whatever being caught off guard.
    It's ok if you're holding it gangsta style. Because that might be how you get the shot off.
    You'd be surprised how hard it is picking that pistol up in a rush off the slippery coffee table you're sitting behind.
    Take a chair and do it sitting as well.

    2. Shoot with your support hand only.

    3. Hold an item in your hand, practice dropping it and then draw and shoot. Like you're standing in a check out line.

    4. While sitting behind that table, using your EDC holster, practice a slow stealthy draw and shoot while sitting. You'd be surprised how difficult it is to navigate the pistol from your hip, out from under the table and present a shot. This could represent eating out at dinner. And not all scenarios will require a bat out of hell draw speed.

    5. You ever lay on your back and shoot over your face to the target? Lay on a blanket or tarp and give that perspective a try.

    6. With your normal grip, use your middle finger for your trigger finger. See how that feels.


    I can post more when I'm not in my phone texting from bed at 330 am.
    Sounds like you have the ability to do stuff other than just stand and shoot static. Get out of the regular crappy routine stuff.
    Unless you're practicing for competition, then I can't help you in that dept.

    So glad you got un-banned. This is good stuff and yes post more in this vein.
     

    AssMan

    Meh...
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 27, 2011
    16,211
    Somewhere on the James River, VA
    I don't do "drills". I like to do practical, real life things.

    1. Take a table and place your pistol on it in front of you. Now simply try picking it up and taking a shot, point shooting at any time you think you have a good enough grip. Not a perfect grip, but one you think you can get a shot off.
    I do this to simulate a home invasion and I'm doing whatever being caught off guard.
    It's ok if you're holding it gangsta style. Because that might be how you get the shot off.
    You'd be surprised how hard it is picking that pistol up in a rush off the slippery coffee table you're sitting behind.
    Take a chair and do it sitting as well.

    2. Shoot with your support hand only.

    3. Hold an item in your hand, practice dropping it and then draw and shoot. Like you're standing in a check out line.

    4. While sitting behind that table, using your EDC holster, practice a slow stealthy draw and shoot while sitting. You'd be surprised how difficult it is to navigate the pistol from your hip, out from under the table and present a shot. This could represent eating out at dinner. And not all scenarios will require a bat out of hell draw speed.

    5. You ever lay on your back and shoot over your face to the target? Lay on a blanket or tarp and give that perspective a try.

    6. With your normal grip, use your middle finger for your trigger finger. See how that feels.


    I can post more when I'm not in my phone texting from bed at 330 am.
    Sounds like you have the ability to do stuff other than just stand and shoot static. Get out of the regular crappy routine stuff.
    Unless you're practicing for competition, then I can't help you in that dept.

    This is great stuff, thanks. So you don't mess with timed "Mozambique drills" or the like?
     

    Blaster229

    God loves you, I don't.
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 14, 2010
    46,409
    Glen Burnie
    I cant visualize #5 on Blasters list. Can someone post a picture as an example?

    I'm not posting a pic. LOL

    Pretend you are using 2 handed shooting and shooting directly above your head, aiming at your favorite cloud.

    Hold that same position, laying on your back, top of your head facing the target, and that target is the "cloud" you were aiming at.

    Basically prone, but on your back. Just roll over. Belly up.
     

    engineerbrian

    JMB fan club
    Sep 3, 2010
    10,148
    Fredneck
    I'm not posting a pic. LOL

    Pretend you are using 2 handed shooting and shooting directly above your head, aiming at your favorite cloud.

    Hold that same position, laying on your back, top of your head facing the target, and that target is the "cloud" you were aiming at.

    Basically prone, but on your back. Just roll over. Belly up.

    :thumbsup:
     

    Blaster229

    God loves you, I don't.
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 14, 2010
    46,409
    Glen Burnie
    This is great stuff, thanks. So you don't mess with timed "Mozambique drills" or the like?

    Not really. I tend to just shoot for center mass or the grape.
    And time? Time is going to be the time I land the first shot. But ask yourself, what determines the time? Typically it's when the barrel clears the holster and that first round lands.
    There can be a myriad of things I have to do first before that first trigger press. Like maybe drop that cup of starbucks coffee, or those groceries in the basket toted around my arm.
    I am pretty sure any "gunfight" I will ever be in, won't be a face to face duel. If that, then I would work on the fastest draw against the Pac timer.

    I think practicing under less than perfect positions is the better return on investment with shooting than trying to beat my last time.

    Practice being slow (but better) with your support hand instead. I think those drills are better for a well rounded shooter.

    But this is all me. I know that timing and trying to perfect the draw with your strong hand is a whole industry/training/youtube video thing, and that's fine.A lot of that time can be put into trying something different.

    I probably didn't make any sense with all that . lol
     

    Blaster229

    God loves you, I don't.
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 14, 2010
    46,409
    Glen Burnie

    I mean not for anything, it's not meant really to help with any sort of accuracy. And not worth doing a lot for some sort of proficiency. But physics are definitely different.
    But I tell ya, it sure is a different world upside down. Especially when you're not sure how the recoil is going to be.

    Along the same note while laying on the ground.

    We all mostly have that "nightstand pistol" right there next to the bed.

    Pretending the target is the bedroom door (That beautiful fatal funnel), and say you're right handed.

    Laying on your left side, place your pistol in the direction and the length away from you at about where the nightstand is. Just reach over, lift the pistol up and take a shot.

    In a sleeping bedroom scenario, we are not going to have enough time to sit up, get the perfect 2 handed grip(which we need to shoot with whenever possible) and take an aimed shot to that door.

    Then switch it up, because we always don't sleep on our left side. We roll over.

    Again, not something to do for hours and hours to be awesomely proficient, but see if 1. we can actual do it and 2. for a brief familiarization of things to expect.
    Then try support hand.

    One thing I will say when trying these "weird/different" positions out, please load 1 round at a time at first. Just don't need another round or more if for some reason a grip or whatever happens to go awry.
     

    Doobie

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 23, 2013
    1,777
    Earth
    I don't do "drills". I like to do practical, real life things.

    1. Take a table and place your pistol on it in front of you. Now simply try picking it up and taking a shot, point shooting at any time you think you have a good enough grip. Not a perfect grip, but one you think you can get a shot off.
    I do this to simulate a home invasion and I'm doing whatever being caught off guard.
    It's ok if you're holding it gangsta style. Because that might be how you get the shot off.
    You'd be surprised how hard it is picking that pistol up in a rush off the slippery coffee table you're sitting behind.
    Take a chair and do it sitting as well.

    2. Shoot with your support hand only.

    3. Hold an item in your hand, practice dropping it and then draw and shoot. Like you're standing in a check out line.

    4. While sitting behind that table, using your EDC holster, practice a slow stealthy draw and shoot while sitting. You'd be surprised how difficult it is to navigate the pistol from your hip, out from under the table and present a shot. This could represent eating out at dinner. And not all scenarios will require a bat out of hell draw speed.

    5. You ever lay on your back and shoot over your face to the target? Lay on a blanket or tarp and give that perspective a try.

    6. With your normal grip, use your middle finger for your trigger finger. See how that feels.


    I can post more when I'm not in my phone texting from bed at 330 am.
    Sounds like you have the ability to do stuff other than just stand and shoot static. Get out of the regular crappy routine stuff.
    Unless you're practicing for competition, then I can't help you in that dept.

    I second all of these things Blaster mentioned. #6 is something that very few tries but could very well be a life saver.

    -You could practice a one and one drill. Load your pistol with one round and have your spare mg loaded with one round. On a timer(or you could do it without), draw and fire one round into center mass of a target, reload, and fire again. This drill is usually done at 1-3 yards but can be adjusted to suit your needs.
    -Practice reloading with just your support hand...pretend that your shooting arm has been wounded and rendered useless.
    -Practice using your shoe, belt, table, corner of a wall, etc to rack the slide on your handgun(if its semi auto). You may not always have both arms to use.
    -Practice as if your pushing or holding a loved one back while you fire rounds on target one handed.

    Blaster 229, its good to see ya back. I asked about ya on here not long ago. Hope all is well with ya sir.
     

    Boxcab

    MSI EM
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 22, 2007
    7,865
    AA County
    My mechanical engineer daughter who works for Stanley/Dewalt would probably love this discussion.

    OK, I put off writing this because a serious discussion was happening...

    but now I can say,

    Hammer Drill.


    Now I feel better. Back to work.






    .
     

    scout6

    Active Member
    Sep 28, 2016
    599
    Ceciltucky
    I have a laser cartridge that I use in a DA/SA hammer pistol.

    I don't practice nearly enough as I should, but I do run a few drills I'd expect to face every so often. Use my iPhone and software to check shot placement after. Use a spot of masking tape for head & chest

    Office: Stationary: Grab pistol from draw safe, off-hand, shot placement in doorway and hall. (Work from Home)
    Upper level: Moving: Hallway movement towards living room, come around corner, aim/fire at door. Keep moving to Living room and follow up / cover stairs and doorway. Also do the same for kitchen / back door.
    Bedroom: Stationary: Sleeping position, grab pistol from opened drawer vault (standard set up at night- closed/locked during day) , quick fire while bringing it up to proper stance for follow up shots.
     

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